This invention relates to railway car couplers and in particular to an actuating mechanism for moving the lock of the coupler to enable the coupler knuckle to be rotated between open and closed positions. Additionally, this invention further relates to a method of moving a lock between knuckle engaged and disengaged positions.
Almost all, if not all, standard AAR railway car couplers are required to have operating knuckles, that is knuckles that pivot between open and closed positions. Non-rotary couplers such as the standard AAR E and F type couplers and standard rotary couplers, include lock lift assemblies plus an actuating member for moving the coupler lock between knuckle engaged and disengaged positions. When the lock is engaged with the knuckle, the knuckle is maintained in its closed position. When the lock is moved relative to the knuckle, the knuckle can be pivoted to its open position. However, in rotary railway car couplers of the type wherein the lock is located in the coupler's shank and the knuckle is secured to and rotatable with a head about a shank a suitable actuating mechanism to operate the lock to enable the knuckle to be pivoted between its opened and closed positions has not heretofore been available. The actuating mechanism for the lock must be reliable yet not impede rotation of the knuckle and head. Further, the actuating mechanism-lock assembly should permit the lock to be placed in lockset position. Still further, since the lock is rotatable with the knuckle, the actuating mechanism must be flexible, as it too will rotate upon rotation of the head. Similarly, the actuating mechanism must not interfere with rotation of the shank when the shank is rotated and the head is maintained in a fixed position.